By Colombo Telegraph –
“Reflecting on the recent Tamil Tiger air attack, he said that Sri Lanka has requested three additional radar units from India. He remarked that Sri Lanka required port and container security assistance, as the Tamil Tigers’ arms, plane parts, and drugs are being smuggled through Colombo’s port. Bogollagama also asked Boucher to follow up on a request for an additional coast guard cutter originally made to Assistant Secretary of Defense Lawless.” the US Embassy Colombo informed Washington.
A Leaked “CONFIDENTIAL” US diplomatic cable, dated April 5, 2007, updated the Secretary of State regarding a meeting US Assistant Secretary has had with Sri Lankan Foreign Minister. The Colombo Telegraph found the related leaked cable from the WikiLeaks database. The cable was classified Political Counselor Ted Osius.
The US Embassy wrote “”Bogollogama said that, during his recent meetings in Washington with Secretary Rice, he had relayed Sri Lanka’s request for more port surveillance assistance. He asserted that most of the Tigers’ offloading of arms and drugs is occurring in Colombo due to container inspection problems. Boucher said that he would follow up on the request and see what assistance could be provided. Bogollagama also noted that he has discussed the possibility of obtaining a coast guard cutter from the U.S. government to assist in maritime interdiction. Boucher said that he was aware of the request and would follow up.”
“Boucher closed the meeting by reiterating that the most important aspect of any political evolution in Sri Lanka is how the government relates to the Tamil and Muslim communities. “The more the Tamils are included, the less the Tigers can claim.” Bogollagama assured Boucher that, “we have the will for a credible solution.” the US Embassy further wrote.
Related stories to this cable;
WikiLeaks: ‘US Can Hold Me Personally Responsible In The Future’ FM Bogollagama To US
Read the cable below for further details;
VZCZCXRO6073 OO RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHLH RUEHPW DE RUEHNE #1643/01 0951338 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 051338Z APR 07 FM AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4582 INFO RUCNSTF/TERRORISM FINANCE PRE NOTIFICATION COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING PRIORITY 5895 RUEHLM/AMEMBASSY COLOMBO PRIORITY 9448 RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA PRIORITY 9576 RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD PRIORITY 2798 RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL PRIORITY 4253 RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 3289 RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY 1113 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY 4751 RUEHCG/AMCONSUL CHENNAI PRIORITY 9798 RUEHKP/AMCONSUL KARACHI PRIORITY 7351 RUEHCI/AMCONSUL KOLKATA PRIORITY 9429 RUEHLH/AMCONSUL LAHORE PRIORITY 3852 RUEHBI/AMCONSUL MUMBAI PRIORITY 8976 RUEHPW/AMCONSUL PESHAWAR PRIORITY 4422 RHMFISS/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY RHHMUNA/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI PRIORITY RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI PRIORITY RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION
01 OF 02 NEW DELHI 001643 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/05/2027
TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER CE IN
SUBJECT: SRI LANKA’S FOREIGN MINISTER ASSURES BOUCHER THAT HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUES WILL BE ADDRESSED AND REQUESTS MORE SUPPORT
Classified By: Political Counselor Ted Osius for reasons 1.4 (B, D) (C)
SUMMARY: In his meeting with Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama, Assistant Secretary Boucher emphasized that it was vital that the forthcoming devolution package reassure moderate Tamils about their future place in Sri Lankan society and guarantee that their rights are protected. Boucher warned that the U.S. government is closely monitoring the resolution of human rights cases and the plight of the Internally Displaced Persons of eastern Sri Lanka. He underlined that cases before the Commission of Inquiry on Human Rights must go beyond the investigative stage and produce substantive results with culprits held accountable. Bogollogama assured Boucher that the “code of conduct” to prevent human rights abuses will be announced on 6 April. He acknowledged that mistakes have been made while resettling Internally Displaced Persons but pledged that the U.S. government “can hold me personally responsible for any future imbalances.” 2. (C) Reflecting on the recent Tamil Tiger air attack, he said that Sri Lanka has requested three additional radar units from India. He remarked that Sri Lanka required port and container security assistance, as the Tamil Tigers’ arms, plane parts, and drugs are being smuggled through Colombo’s port. Bogollagama also asked Boucher to follow up on a request for an additional coast guard cutter originally made to Assistant Secretary of Defense Lawless. END SUMMARY.
3. (C) Assistant Secretary Richard Boucher opened a 3 April meeting with Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama by inquiring about the state of Sri Lanka’s air defenses and the government’s plans to deal with the Tiger air threat. Bogollagama claimed that the three radars provided by India require down time every eight hours, and the government was investigating if the one installed at Katunayake air base was down during the Tigers’ air strike. He explained that radar efficiency levels were being discussed and that Sri Lanka had requested an augmentation of one additional 3-D radar and two more 2-D radars from India. Boucher requested that Bogollagama keep the U.S. apprised of Sri Lanka’s increased air defense plans.
4. (C) Turning to the political situation in Sri Lanka, Boucher asked for an update on the Sri Lanka Freedom Party’s power sharing proposals. Bogollagama said that the package would be presented to the All Party Conference immediately upon President Rajapaksa’s return from the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation in New Delhi. He stated that the proposal included a parliamentary system with a premiership and claimed that “the consensus is there to address the problem politically. “However, the international community needs to influence the Tigers to get to the table too.” Boucher countered that a credible power sharing proposal is a vehicle to peace talks, and it can weaken political support for the Tigers. However, he noted, any successful political plan must assure the Tamil population that they have a secure and equitable stake in society and are accorded civil rights guarantees.
5. (C) Boucher declared that the U.S. government was seriously concerned about ongoing reports of human rights abuses, continued attacks on Tamils in the east by the Karuna faction, and the forced resettlement of Internally Displaced Persons. He emphasized that the Tamils in eastern Sri Lanka must receive the benefits of good governance and cautioned Bogollagama that Washington was watching the situation NEW DELHI 00001643 002 OF 002 closely. Bogollagama asserted that he had discussed recent government human rights initiatives with Defense Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa at length and an Administrative Declaration will be announced on 6 April. He noted that a “code of conduct” on human rights would be reissued for law enforcement and all high-profile cases of missing persons and disappearances will be dealt with. He also explained that the 2006 government declaration established procedures for arrests including informing next-of-kin, informing the Human Rights Commission within forty-eight hours of detentions and providing commission access to detainees. He said that the Human Rights Commission was in place already but needed to become operational. He stressed that if the administrative declarations were not followed it will be raised in the political arena. Boucher reminded Bogollagama that, while it was important to conduct inquiries, the U.S. government wanted to see results and accountability for the culprits.
6. (C) In defense of Sri Lanka’s resettlement of the 81,000 Internally Displaces Persons in the east, Bogollagama noted that their resettlement was endorsed by the international community. He conceded that the Internally Displaced Persons taken from Batticaloa to Trincomalee two weeks ago was “a mistake by government agencies and sent the wrong signals.” He explained that he consulted with Defense Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa about the incident and stopped the resettlement. Admitting that the government was trying to address some resettlement imbalances, he pledged, “Hold me personally responsible in the future.”
7. (C) Bogollogama said that, during his recent meetings in Washington with Secretary Rice, he had relayed Sri Lanka’s request for more port surveillance assistance. He asserted that most of the Tigers’ offloading of arms and drugs is occurring in Colombo due to container inspection problems. Boucher said that he would follow up on the request and see what assistance could be provided. Bogollagama also noted that he has discussed the possibility of obtaining a coast guard cutter from the U.S. government to assist in maritime interdiction. Boucher said that he was aware of the request and would follow up.
8. (C) Boucher closed the meeting by reiterating that the most important aspect of any political evolution in Sri Lanka is how the government relates to the Tamil and Muslim communities. “The more the Tamils are included, the less the Tigers can claim.” Bogollagama assured Boucher that, “we have the will for a credible solution.”
MULFORD
Wuliangguobinjiu / November 30, 2012
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Bedrock Barney / November 30, 2012
Dear CT, isn’t it widely known that GOSL asked everyone, barring Santa Claus, for better radar in the wake of the Air Attacks on Colombo. Why is it considered a leak when everyone know that it happened?
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Antany Peter / December 1, 2012
The Tamils have lost everything since they have allowed India to equip the criminals with arms to fight for their freedom. Prabhakaran was a criminal, wanted by the Sri Lankan police for smuggling and murder chrages. Nelson Mandela wanted to take up arms and fight for his people’s freedom, but fortunately the South African government put him in jail. This has changed everything, it made Nelson Mandela to choose non violence method for his people’s freedom. The South African jail made Nelson Mandela as a wise leader. Today the South Africans have their freedom, at the same time Nelson Mandela became one of the most respected leader in the world. The Sri Lankan government could not put Prabhakaran in jail, because India gave refuge to him and made sure he becomes an incurable cancer for the Tamils and Sinhalese. India’s refuge made Prabhakran as one of the most dangerous man in the world. India made the Tamils and Sinhalese to suffer by equipping the uneducated criminals. There is no comparison between Mandela and Prabhakaran or Ghandi and Prabhakaran. This week the Tamils commemorate defeated Tamil Tigers, and celebrate Prabhakaran’s birthday in Sri Lanka, India and also in the Western Countries. I really feel sorry for the followers who gave-up their lives, especially for the young people, they have wasted their lives. However, these events are creating more disaster for the Tamils, it will drove the Tamils away from their rights and freedom. These events are clearly proving that the Tamils have not learned anything from the past, but they are still under the grip of India and the Western Countries. I am a Sri Lankan Tamil, I have an Australian business degree and done lots of research about world history and politics. My research is equal to two Phd’s, but the Tamils do not want to listen to me, even if they want to listen to me the Westerners and Indians won’t allow them. The Westerners know how to divide others, the Indians follow the Westerners. The Tamils are to be blamed for their current status in their own country. This is the outcome when you listen to the foreigners and kill or ignore your own intellectuals. Sadly, history is repeating itself, but the Tamil leaders believe something new is happening. China and India are the future superpowers, they will never allow the Tamils to get Eelam under any circumstance, if they do it will set the precedent to divide their own countries. The Westerners are using the Tamil diaspora leaders to create a drift in South East Asia, but the Chinese and Indians leaders are too smart for this trick.
I urge the Tamils to stay away from the LTTE and remove Prabhakaran’s picture and Tiger flag from your minds, houses and offices. The Tamil Armed groups have killed thousands of innocent people, intellectuals and political leaders more than al-Qaeda. The Armed Groups have been eating your dignity, rights and freedom. You are not better off since they have taken the arms, in fact they have taken you backward. They only served India’s and the Western countries’ interests at the expense of thousands innocent Sri Lankans. I urge you to build your leadership which has been destroyed by the Tamil armed groups. Create a think tank website for the Tamils, listen to the Tamil intellectuals, rather than listening to the foreigners. Do everything to get back your dignity, rights and freedom. Remember, late is better than never.
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Antany Peter / December 1, 2012
In fact I urge all the Sri Lankans who have been affected by the Tamil Arrmed Groups to sue India and the Western Countries. India is liable for creating the Tamil Armed groups, and the Western Countries are liable for make them as the most dangerous terrorist groups in the world. The Western Countries knew how much money have been poured into the LTTE by the Tamil diaspora, but did nothing. Canada banned the LTTE in 2006, but millions of dollars poured into the LTTE in 2007 and 2008. The CSIS knew everything, but did nothing. As long as people are divided, and the Westerners get to talk about war crimes, democracy and human rights they are happy
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